Kolkata: In a significant political development ahead of the 2024 general election results, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs, John Barla, joined the Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Thursday.
Barla, who served as the Member of Parliament from the Alipurduar constituency between 2019 and 2024, had been gradually distancing himself from the BJP following the party’s decision not to field him as a candidate in the current Lok Sabha elections. Sources indicated that he had been establishing contact with TMC leadership for some time.
His formal induction into the TMC took place on Thursday afternoon in the presence of senior leaders, including West Bengal Power Minister Arup Biswas, state party president Subrata Bakshi, and vice-president Jayprakash Majumdar.
Speaking on the occasion, Barla said, "I had telephonic conversations with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee several times. I expressed my desire to join the Trinamool Congress so I could continue working for public welfare. She graciously accepted my request, and I am thankful to her for that."
Barla blamed BJP’s West Bengal Leader of Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, for his departure from the party. Recalling a specific instance, Barla said, “During my tenure as MP, I planned to set up a hospital in Alipurduar in collaboration with the Indian Railways. The land was finalised, and preparations for the memorandum of understanding were nearly complete. But just before the agreement could be signed, the project was obstructed due to objections raised by Suvendu Adhikari. He actively prevented me from working for my constituency. That experience pushed me to finally sever ties with the BJP.”
In response, Suvendu Adhikari declined to directly address the accusations. "For the past year, Barla has remained in personal contact with me, just as he claims to have been in touch with the Chief Minister. So I do not feel the necessity to respond to his allegations," Adhikari stated.
With IANS inputs